Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in South Korea
South Korea: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 2.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in South Korea, 1969–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in South Korea is 2.8%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and down 21.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in South Korea peaked at 6.8% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 2.0%, in 1996.
South Korea ranks 150th of 185 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 4.8% | — |
| 1975 | 4.2% | -12.9% |
| 1976 | 3.8% | -8.9% |
| 1977 | 3.8% | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 3.2% | -16.8% |
| 1979 | 3.8% | +20.4% |
| 1980 | 5.2% | +35.9% |
| 1981 | 4.5% | -13.2% |
| 1982 | 4.3% | -3.3% |
| 1983 | 4.1% | -6.7% |
| 1984 | 3.8% | -6.4% |
| 1985 | 4.0% | +4.9% |
| 1987 | 3.1% | -22.8% |
| 1988 | 2.5% | -18.2% |
| 1989 | 2.6% | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 2.4% | -4.6% |
| 1991 | 2.3% | -6.5% |
| 1992 | 2.4% | +4.5% |
| 1993 | 2.8% | +16.0% |
| 1994 | 2.4% | -13.4% |
| 1995 | 2.0% | -16.2% |
| 1996 | 2.0% | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 2.6% | +28.5% |
| 1998 | 6.8% | +164.4% |
| 1999 | 6.5% | -5.0% |
| 2000 | 4.1% | -37.2% |
| 2001 | 3.7% | -9.0% |
| 2002 | 3.0% | -17.7% |
| 2003 | 3.3% | +9.9% |
| 2004 | 3.4% | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 3.5% | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 3.3% | -6.5% |
| 2007 | 3.0% | -7.4% |
| 2008 | 3.0% | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 3.4% | +13.7% |
| 2010 | 3.3% | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 3.0% | -10.0% |
| 2012 | 2.8% | -6.0% |
| 2013 | 3.1% | +9.1% |
| 2014 | 3.1% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 3.5% | +15.1% |
| 2016 | 3.6% | +2.9% |
| 2017 | 3.7% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 3.8% | +4.7% |
| 2019 | 3.7% | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 3.9% | +4.9% |
| 2021 | 3.6% | -7.4% |
| 2022 | 2.9% | -21.5% |
| 2023 | 2.7% | -6.4% |
| 2024 | 2.8% | +4.1% |
| 2025 | 2.8% | +0.2% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 2.8% is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.9%, 57% of the median. (77 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 2.8% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.5%, 80% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | +164.4% | 2.6% | 6.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.8% | 4.8% | 4.8% | 1 |
| 1970s | 3.8% | 3.2% | 4.2% | 5 |
| 1980s | 3.8% | 2.5% | 5.2% | 9 |
| 1990s | 3.2% | 2.0% | 6.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.4% | 3.0% | 4.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.4% | 2.8% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.1% | 2.7% | 3.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More reference data data for South Korea
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9638 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.9281 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 3.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2074 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 3.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 4.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.17 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 19.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.13 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in South Korea?
- Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in South Korea was 2.8% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 6.8% in 1998.
- What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.0% in 1996.
- How does South Korea rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
- South Korea ranks 150th out of 185 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 51 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon. Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.